The Pacific Northwest has a good reputation nationwide--the two most popular of the 21 prominent cities we asked about in our national poll last weekend are Seattle and Portland, OR. 57% of American voters see Seattle favorably and only 14% unfavorably, edging out Portland (52-12) by three points on the margin.

The most unpopular is Detroit, which only 22% see positively and 49% negatively. Americans have net-negative impressions of only two other of these cities, and both are in California: Oakland (21-39) and Los Angeles (33-40). In February, PPP found California to be the least popular state in the union. It does have the 11th most popular city, though: San Francisco (48-29).

Perhaps because women are more likely to be Democrats than are men, and Democrats more likely to be in urban areas than are Republicans, women and Democrats are only negative on two cities (Oakland and Detroit), while men are on four (D.C., L.A., Oakland, and Detroit), and Republicans are on eight (Miami, Vegas, San Fran, D.C., Chicago, Oakland, L.A., and Detroit).

The largest gap between black and white voters is on L.A., which black voters like by 35 points and white voters dislike by 16, for 51 points. That is followed distantly by D.C. (blacks by 34), Vegas and Chicago (30), Salt Lake (whites by 28), Atlanta and Detroit (blacks by 23), Miami (19), NOLA and N.Y. (18), Portland (whites by 17), S.F. (blacks by 15), Baltimore (14), and Boston (whites by 12).

yes that's all true. I think that people still unfairly think of LA that way probably due to Watts and Rodney King (even though both were at least 20 years ago). I find it interesting how in CA, the smaller cities such as Stockton or even San Bernardino have worse crime rates.

Las Vegas evolved as a crude extrapolation of several elements of American culture: the defiance of nature, abnormally cheap land, vast empty space for expansion, and the belief that it is possible to get something for nothing -- these elements all presenting themselves there in the most extreme form. [...] If ever a setting was designed to ravage the central nervous system and induce acute agoraphobia, the Strip is it.

I'm sure that any resident must hold a more subtle image of the city, perhaps one that is easier to appreciate. But this is how Las Vegas is portrayed and promoted to the masses, and I struggle to understand its allure.

yes that's all true. I think that people still unfairly think of LA that way probably due to Watts and Rodney King (even though both were at least 20 years ago). I find it interesting how in CA, the smaller cities such as Stockton or even San Bernardino have worse crime rates.

Las Vegas evolved as a crude extrapolation of several elements of American culture: the defiance of nature, abnormally cheap land, vast empty space for expansion, and the belief that it is possible to get something for nothing -- these elements all presenting themselves there in the most extreme form. [...] If ever a setting was designed to ravage the central nervous system and induce acute agoraphobia, the Strip is it.

I'm sure that any resident must hold a more subtle image of the city, perhaps one that is easier to appreciate. But this is how Las Vegas is portrayed and promoted to the masses, and I struggle to understand its allure.

Yeah, I gotta say I really don't like Vegas. What I found really amusing is the pretentiousness of their clubs. Like seriously, you aren't NYC or LA, you're just Vegas. San Diego has a better clubbing scene than you. Deal with it!

And I'm not a huge gambling guy, and only really enjoy Blackjack and poker. At least when I was living in California, it was just much easier to go to the Indian casinos.

Why is L.A. so low?! We have beaches and Hollywood and lots of hot people!

yes but there's also smog, overcrowding and crime.

The smog is actually worse in the Central Valley. And all the cars here have smog checks so it's actually not that bad. EVERY CITY is crowded! That's why it's a city. And the crime in L.A. is lowe now than any point since the 1950s. You just hear about it more often because since there are more people here, there are more crimes committed. But as a crime rate, it's actually pretty low.

Why is L.A. so low?! We have beaches and Hollywood and lots of hot people!

yes but there's also smog, overcrowding and crime.

The smog is actually worse in the Central Valley. And all the cars here have smog checks so it's actually not that bad. EVERY CITY is crowded! That's why it's a city. And the crime in L.A. is lowe now than any point since the 1950s. You just hear about it more often because since there are more people here, there are more crimes committed. But as a crime rate, it's actually pretty low.